Stat of the week

Classic. You have a slightly higher chance of dying in the days after you get a paycheck, bonus, or Social Security payment, say William N. Evans of the University of Notre Dame and Timothy J. Moore of the University of Maryland. For instance, during the week when the 2001 U.S. tax rebate checks arrived, mortality among 25-to-64 year olds increased by 2.5%, and during the week when dividends are paid to Alaskans from the state’s Permanent Fund, mortality increases by 13%. Higher levels of activity such as driving and recreation after money rolls in are the likely causes of the effect, the authors say.